In his version of the events leading to the fatal shooting of Paige Bennett, Chihan “Eric” Chyung says his “finger was not consciously on the trigger when he fired it,” according to a police report unsealed Thursday. The shooting occurred at the newly married couple’s home in Taftville. Bennett, a mother of three, was found shot in the head on the kitchen floor.

GREG SMITH

Chihan “Eric” Chyung claims his wife’s death was an accident.

In his version of the events leading to the June 2 fatal shooting of Paige Bennett, 46, the Norwich man says his “finger was not consciously on the trigger when he fired it,” according to a police report unsealed Thursday.

The shooting occurred at the newly married couple’s home at 257 Norwich Ave., in Taftville. Bennett, a mother of three, was found shot in the head on the kitchen floor.

Chyung, 46, has pleaded not guilty to the charge of first-degree manslaughter with a firearm and remains held on $1 million bond.

A two-page prosecutor’s report was unsealed Thursday, revealing details of the preliminary police investigation into Bennett’s death. Chyung’s story may have made the difference between a murder charge, which carries a maximum sentence of 60 years, and manslaughter, which carries a maximum of 40 years.

Chyung called 911 from his cell phone at 11:39 p.m. June 2 to report the shooting.

“I killed my wife. I killed her. I didn’t mean to,” Chyung told a Norwich 911 dispatcher. “We were having an argument. I went to put the gun away. It went off. I bought a new fishing rod. She was mad.”

Responding police took Chyung into custody without incident and seized a Glock 9mm pistol from his truck.

In an interview with Norwich police Sgt. Peter B. Camp, Chyung said he and his wife had argued for hours and, at some point, Bennett left the house. While she was gone, Chyung said he packed a suitcase. The fighting continued when she returned. He went upstairs to retrieve his gun from a bedside table drawer, police said. He keeps a loaded magazine in the gun but said he does not leave a bullet in the chamber.

“The handgun was in his right hand and he picked up his suitcase from the kitchen floor to put the handgun in it,” according to the police report. “He stated when he walked into the kitchen he was really not aware the victim was there in the kitchen, too.”

As he went to put the handgun into the suitcase, it fired, Chyung told police. He claimed he was not aware his finger was on the trigger.

Chyung said he took the suitcase and handgun and left in his truck. After telling a “close friend” about the incident, the friend convinced him to turn around, go back and call police, according to the report.

New London County State’s Attorney Michael Regan declined to speculate on any specifics of the case. In general, Regan said, the state takes information gathered by police, investigators with his office and the medical examiner to piece together circumstances of a crime. Evidence is likely to undergo a battery of forensic testing at the state crime lab.

“You can tell from a wound, generally, things like how far away the gun was when it was fired. It takes time,” Regan said.

Further investigation also will determine whether additional or substituted charges are warranted in the case.

“I don’t think the police believe it. I don’t believe it at all. I don’t understand how things could have gotten to this point in two and a half weeks,” Monter said, referring to how long the couple had been married. “It’s beyond me. I don’t get it. He needs to tell the truth. I need to hear the truth.”